GenHumChild · Gender and transnational Humanitarian Commitment for Children (Europe - 1980-2007)

Gender and transnational Humanitarian Commitment for Children (Europe - 1980-2007)

The main objective of the project is to examine the extent to which “gender”, as category of analysis, can be a useful tool in explaining the nature and the impact of humanitarian aid of western organizations towards children in Europe, between 1980 and 2007, using as case study the relation France (initiator)-Romania (beneficiary). In a first time, the fellow identified the stakeholders involved in the humanitarian aid for children (local and European institutions, humanitarian organizations, formal and informal support networks, the different categories of children that beneficiated from it), targeted problems (prevention of violence and protection, targeting and relief distribution, health and reproductive rights, nutrition and household food security, income generation and skill training, information and advocacy, HIV/AIDS). More than 1200 humanitarian organizations were active in Romania in 1990, starting with the transnational NGOs such as Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), Médecins du monde (Doctors of the World), EquiLibre, Handicap International and Care International-SERA, but also a plethora of local associations, individual initiatives and faith-based humanitarian organisations. Subsequently, a second objective was to identify the grassroots activity of the humanitarian organizations involved in aiding the children. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, the fellow established the aid repartition between medical help, basic necessities (food, shelter, clothing) and political intervention in an international context that quickly changed the anti-anticommunist discourse blaming Ceausescu for the tragedy of the Romanian children with severe criticism towards the entire Romanian society. One of the main research hypothesis – reflecting the third objective of the project, an analysis of human resources – was that gendered power dynamics inside the corpus of the humanitarian personnel assigning “proper” jobs for men and women had an impact on the field activity. The research showed that the Romanian campaign was mostly a “women’s affaire” due to the massive feminization of all professions involved in child caring. Working outside the classic patriarchal hierarchies had an empowering effect on all the women involved. On one hand, the expats had the possibility to break the gender regimes inside home organizations, while the local personal challenged the post-communist political and economic transformations. The Romanian particular situation also allowed the public expression of masculinities that questioned the feminine dominance over childcare activities. The forth objective consisted in a survey on the local impact of each of the major intervention axes. By using in-depth interviews and extensive field research, the fellow looked at the short, medium and long term effects of humanitarian aid towards children. One of the tested hypothesis regarded the economic and social precariousness of women, especially single mothers, as potential cause for the persistence of a system of illegal adoptions. Overall though, the humanitarian missions managed to identify and to help the most vulnerable categories of institutionalized children: Roma, disabled children, those with AIDS. The major conclusion of the research is that gender can be a useful tool in analyzing the nature and the impact of humanitarian aid, especially in what concerns the grassroots activity. The gender perspective offers valuable knowledge on the motivation and dynamics inside the humanitarian corpus. It can confirm or reveal situations of discrimination or gender based violence. In the same time, a gender sensitive research debunks examples of empowerment and the multitude of femininities and masculinities that take shape in a particular context.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union